A Brilliant Method For Catching More Crappie

There are very few things that excite me more than hooking up to the boat and heading to the lake for some crappie fishing. While most people will only focus on crappie during the spring spawn, I like to fish for crappie all year long.

The spring spawn is a great time to fish small creeks that feed into large bodies of water. Crappie tend to bite well in shallow water during this time. During April and May, you will see hundreds of people throwing bobbers close to the banks to catch these spawning fish.

However, the tactics I’m going to share in this post will allow you to catch crappie wherever they are throughout the entire year.

The Neighbor

The method of Crappie fishing I’m about to share is one that I learned from my neighbor. He is originally from Minnesota and as it turns out, this method is not only common for Crappie, but also for Walleye and other species.

I only knew a couple of ways to catch Crappie before I met my neighbor and adopted his method. I would throw a minnow and bobber or find a Jig that looked good to me.

After watching him real in fish after fish in the middle of Summer, I rarely stray from this setup. There have been countless times on the lake that boats have slowly trolled toward us to ask what we’re using.

The Floating Jig Head Method

I do not know the official name for this method. Some have seen me use this and called it a Lindy Rig. After searching online I have determined that the closest match for what I’m about to show you is a floating Lindy rig. However, most explanations and drawings online are a bit more complicated than what I am going to show you.

Let’s get to it.

The Floating Crappie Rig Setup

1. Start by feeding an egg sinker onto your line. (Size will vary. We will discuss.)
2. Next, add a small bead to protect the next piece from damage caused by the egg sinker.
3. Tie on a barrel swivel.
4. Tie roughly 24 inches of 6lb line onto the barrel swivel.
5. Tie on a floating jig head.  
6. Hook a minnow onto the floating jig head.
7. Drag this rig through your favorite crappie fishing spots.

Sketch of the Floating Crappie Rig

Please forgive my terrible drawing abilities and see the sketch for what the setup should look like.

How to use the Floating Crappie Rig

This method works best with a medium-action rod. This will have enough stiffness for trolling while still allowing you to feel every bump from the fish. You can use rod holders on your boat and operate several of these. However, I like to use one so I can hold it and feel every hit. This allows me to set the hook properly every time.

Cast the line out 15 to 20 feet or open the bale and let some line out. The amount of line you will need in the water will be determined by the depth of water you’re fishing. Crappie like to feed in 8 to 12 feet of water, so you typically won’t need much.

Use a fish finder to locate Crappie

For this method to be effective, you will need a fish finder. Make sure you are paying attention to the screen and dragging the rig through areas where fish are. Target the 8 to 12-foot areas and look for changes such as ditches, rock piles, sudden drop-offs, logs, stumps, or boulders. Crappie will typically be around these obstacles.

Control your speed

This style of fishing works best with trolling. With your line in the water, use your trolling motor to travel at a slow speed to locate the fish. When you start pulling fish into the boat, consider circling, or passing back and forth over the concentrated areas of fish.

The faster you go, the higher the rig will be in the water column. You will want to play with speed and figure out the most effective way to bring the fish in. I typically switch between 1 and 3 on my trolling motor depending on the bite and the wind speed.

Make adjustments

If your fish finder shows the fish very deep, consider increasing the weight of the egg sinker to put the rig lower in the water column. This will likely happen in the hottest part of summer and the coldest part of winter.

The beauty of this method is having the ability to make adjustments according to fish patterns. Crappie are always moving and adapting to weather and water conditions. Half the battle with Crappie is finding them! They can and will change their patterns from day to day.

Use the Right Minnow

I tend to use the biggest minnows I can find at the bait shop. Crappie are not shy about eating a big meal. However, there may be some benefit in varying the size of the minnow throughout the year. During the spring, baitfish are smaller. As fall approaches, the size of the bait fish increases.

Consider going small in the spring and big in the fall.

Change the Color

Floating jig heads come in many colors. If the bite is slow, consider switching from chartreuse to pink or orange. Small changes can yield a big increase.

Even the color of the hook can make a difference.

Double up

Sometimes, if the fish are striking hard, I like to tie on 2 jig heads. This could get you to your limit much quicker. Who doesn’t want to pull in two crappies at one time?

Conclusion

I have found the floating crappie rig to be extremely effective all year. This even works during the spring spawn when everyone is throwing bobbers near the bank. It seems that even during the spawn, crappie like to feed in the 8-12 foot areas where baitfish are.

Have fun with this method and find new lakes to try this on. Stock up on a variety of sinker sizes, bead colors, and jig heads. Rig up several different combinations and take a friend with you. This will help to narrow down the color pattern that works for that day. Not to mention, you can double the fish in the cooler.

Good Luck

Links

For other Outdoor Tips chack out my other Blog Posts here!

This is the fish finder I use. Humminbird

This is the fish finder I would like to get next. Humminbird Helix7

Floating Jig Heads

Egg Sinkers

Barrel Swivels

Beads